Communication systems, such as high-speed wireless local area networks, often specify standards for the different layers of the systems. FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating a communications system. The communications system is made up of four subsystems: management entity 100, applications layer (APP) 102, medium access and control layer (MAC) 104, and physical layer (PHY) 106. The physical layer transmits and receives bits of information by modulating and demodulating the bits of information on a physical channel. In some embodiments, the physical channel is a wireless personal area network channel that transmits and receives radio wave signals at 3 to 5 GHz. In other embodiments, the physical channel could be another type of wireless communications channel, a wired communications channel, or a fiber optic channel. The medium access and control layer encrypts and decrypts information and also generates and verifies bits of information into defined data structures. In some embodiments, the defined data structures are packets. The applications layer incorporates all other communications functions and the application which initiates and consumes the data exchanged across the MAC/PHY layer and over the physical medium. In some embodiments the applications layer incorporates intermediate communications protocol layers such as those defined in Open Systems or IEEE standards. The management entity coordinates between the different layers. In some embodiments, the management entity coordinates conditions like reset and sleep.
FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating the interface between the MAC layer and the PHY layer. This interface is a hardware interface between MAC layer 200 and PHY layer 202. Data information 206 and control information 204 are passed over this interface. This interface is specific to the hardware configuration of the MAC and of the PHY. Therefore, if the MAC functionality changes because of a standards change, then the MAC hardware would potentially need to be redone.
The standards for the different layers of communications systems change over time and need to be supported by the hardware implementation of the system. Also, the hardware systems may be required to support multiple coexisting standards as well. Since hardware development times are long, it would be better to have universal interfaces between layers to accommodate later changes to a standard with the developed hardware. In particular, MAC layer standards change or multiple MAC layer standards need to be supported by a communications system. However, PHY layer designs have hardware and information interfaces that have long development times. PHY layer designs can be made obsolete if the MAC layer standard changes or the multiple MAC layer standards cannot be supported by the hardware and information interfaces.